Electric leer



NOV. 24, 1931. V MULHQLLAND 1,833,090

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Nov. 24, 1931. v. MULHOLLAND 1,833,090

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I invention relates to apparatusfor annealing glasswarefand has vparticular relation to leers of the tunnel type, through which articles of glassware are transported b a conveyor and in which they are subjecte to varying -temperature environments in order to relieve stresses and strains whichmay exist in the ware.

One of the objects of the present inventionis'to obtain a more nearly uniform and accurately regulable temperature in any transverse section or zone of the tunnel and also to obtain a more flexible control of the temperature gradient or curve longitudinally thereof. 7

Another object of theinvention is to simplify'the construction and operation of leers, of t e ty described, by employing electric heating e ements to heat the tunnel, thereby enerall emplo ed for this purpose. g Other bbjects Zvill appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a diagrammatlc vertical longitudinal sectional view of a tunnel leer constructed in accordance'with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the exit or ware discharge end of the tunnel. I

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, with portions broken away to illustrate the interior construction of the tunnel.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tunnel adjacent to the entrance or ware receiving end of the leer, with ortions broken away to illustrate the interior con struction. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the tunnel, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l. a Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view on a larger scale, of the tunnel floor illustrating the arrangement of the electric heating. elements.

Fig. 8 is a verticaljtransverse sectional view through the tunnel floor taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

eliminating the firebox and cooperating fiues top of the tunnel adjacent to the exit end thereof, with a portion broken away to illustrate the joint between the sections of the side walls of the tunnel, and v Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fi 10.

Referring to the rawings, the leer is shown diagrammatically in Fig.1, as comprising, in general, a forward heated portion A; an intermediate portion B; a rear cooling portion C a ware sorting table D; an endless conveyor E of laterally and longitudinally flexible open work or-wire mesh fabric of low heat mass or capacity, the ware bearing strand of which traverses the tunnel and table D, and the idle strand of which returns to the entrance end of the tunnel beneath the leer; and a conveyor driving mechanism F.

The portions A B and C of the tunnel and the sorting table 15 are supported by suitable frame structure 1, which is in turn supported by legs or pedestals 2, and a frame-structure 3 of the conveyor driving mechanism F (Fig. 1).

The heated portion A of the tunnel comprises a plurality of horizontal base platesv 4 which are secured to theframe 1 and which edges of the wall sections 5 are formed with serrations 8 (Fig. 4) for supporting engagement with a plurality of corrugated roof plates 9.

The bottom or floor of the heated portion of the tunnel comprises a plurality. of

cast iron sections 10 arranged in end-to-end relation and supported in spaced relation to the plates 4., by flanges 11 provided on the sections 5 of the side walls. Each of the sections 10 is shown as preferably comprising a pair of spaced inverted box-shaped members 12 connected by webs 13 and each having a flat conveyor supporting surface 14 $100 and inclined heat radiating side walls 15. By this construction a floor is provided havin a greater heat radiatin surface in com auson with the length an? breadth of the heated zone of the tunnel. The sections 10 are maintained against vertical and longitudinal displacement by plates 16 which are secured to the sections 5 of the side walls and which are formed with ton es 17 rojecting downwardly between t e meml iers 12. The plates 16, however, permit the sections 10 to move to a limited extent to accommodate the expansion and contraction thereof with changes in temperature. The upper edge of each of the plates 16 is formed with an inwardly projecting'rib or flange 18 which presents a small area for contact with the ware and prevents the ware from contacting with the walls of the tunnel during its passa e therethrou h.

issipation 0 heat from the tunnel is minimized by surrounding the tunnel with a heat insulating material 19 in the form of powdered kieselguhr or the like. This material is contained within an outer casing comprising the base plate 4, side plates 20 carried thereby in s aoed relation to the side walls of the tunne and top plates 21 which extend horizontally above the tunnel and in spaced relation thereto, and which are secured at their outer edges to the side plates 20.

The tunnel is heated by electric heating elements 22 which extend through openings in the side plates 20 and side walls 5, and transversely beneath the tunnel through the channels in the members 10 4, 7 and 9). The elements 22 are supported by and insulated from the metallic portions of the leer by tubular insulators 22 which surround the end portions thereof. A reflector 23 having a bright heat reflecting surface is arranged beneath each of the elements 22 and reflects the heat that is radiated downwardly therefrom, upwardly against the walls of its associated channel member 10, thereby utilizing the maximum amount of heat given off by the elements. The inclined sides 15 of the members 12 and the inclined sides of the corrugations in the roof plates 9 cooperate to respectively radiate and reflect the heat given off from the elements 22 in a longitudinal direction, thereby obtaining uniformity of heat distribution.

Throughout the intermediate and exit portions B and C of the tunnel, the conveyor is supported by a plurality of rollers 24 which are journaled in the plates 16. The top of the tunnel throughout these portions comprises plates 25 of commercial corrugated sheet metal. The'intermediate portion B of the tunnel is surrounded by insulation of gradually reducing thickness to permit an increasing rate of heat dissipation. Throughout the exit portion of the tunnel, however, where'it is desired to accelerate the cooling of the ware, the insulationmay be entirely dis ensed with, thus exposing the metallic wa ls of the tunnel to the cooling effect of the ls, which increase in size toward the exit end of the tunnel (Fig. 3). These boxes each' communicate with a conduit 28, which extends longitudinally beneath the tunnel, through pipes 29 provided with dampers 30. The conduit 28 communicates with vertical pi es 31 disposed one on each side of the leer ig. 6) which, in turn, communicate at their upper ends with a suction fan 32 which is mounted above the exit end of the tunnel. The action of this fan draws air from the outer atmosphere into the exit end of the tunnel, thence downwardly between the ware and through the openings in the conveyor, and thence through the apertures 27 in the boxes 26, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, thereby further accelerating the cooling of the ware at this point. The air current thus provided is prevented from flowing between the conve or and the floor of the tunnel by a series 0 baflle elements 33 disposed between the rollers 24.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a very simple and eflicient leer is provided in which the temperature may be very accurately controlled, both in transverse and longitudinal directions, and in which ware may be annealed in the minimum amount of time.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention may be modified in construction and arrangement without departing from the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I clalm as my invention: 1. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a metallic floor formed with a pluralit of angularly disposed heat reflecting sur aces, an endless conveyor having its ware-bearing strand supported throughout its width directly by said floor for transporting articles of glassware through said tunnel, and a plurality of elec tric heating elements associated with said floor and adapted to heat said conveyor by heat transmitted thereto from said floor by radiation and conduction.

2. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a non-planiform metallic floor, a metallic conveyor having its ware-bearing strand slidably mounted on said floor and in direct contact therewith and supported thereby throughout its width sufficiently to prevent objectionable sagging when loaded for transporting articles of said housings.

glassware throu h said tunnel, and apluralit of electriceating elements associated with said floor for heating said conveyor by heat transmitted thereto rom said floor by radiation and conduction.

3. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a floor comprising a plurality of 'spaced housings, an electric heatmg element enclosed within each of said housin s, and a conveyor slidably mounted on 4. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel havin a floor comprising elements having smoot upper surfaces, an endless metallic conveyor of low heat capacity slidably mounted on said floor, and a plurality of electric heating elements disposed beneath the plane of said conveyor adapted to heat said conveyor by heat transmitted thereto through direct contact with said floor.

5. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a floor comprising elements having smooth upper surfaces, a plurality of electric heating elements arranged to heat said fioor, and a conveyor of low heat capacity for transporting glassware through said tunnel and having the warebearing'strand thereof slidably mounted on said heated floor and adapted to closely conform to the temperature thereof by direct contact therewith.

6. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel having side walls, transversely extending channel members supported between said side walls, electric heating elements disposed beneath said channel members and supported by said side walls, and a conveyor for transporting articles of glassware through said tunnel supported directly by said channel members.

7. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a metallic floor, a plurality of electric heating elements disposed beneath said floor, and a laterally and longitudinally flexible openwork conveyor slidably mounted throughout its width upon sairil floor and heated by direct contact therewit 8. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a metallic non-planiform floor, a plurality of electric heating elements disposed adjacent thereto and a'conveyor supported directly by said floor.

9. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a floor comprising a plurality of hollow metallic sections having inclined heat radiating walls, a plurality of heating elements disposed within said sections, and a top having a plurality of angularly disposed heat-reflecting surfaces.

10. Apparatus for annealingv glassware comprising a tunnel having a floor comprising a plurality of hollow non-'planiform metallic sections, a plurality of electric heating elements disposed within said sections, and e conveyor supported directly by said sections.

, 11. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprislng a tunnel having a floor comprising a plurality of hollow nonlaniform metallic sections, a lurality of e ectric heating elements dispose within said sections, a reflector associated with each of said elements to reflect the heat radiated therefrom upward- 1y against said sections, and a conveyor supware through said tunnel, and means for causing a vertical current of a temperaturecontrolling medium to flow between the ware and through said conveyor and the openings in said floor.

14. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a perforated floor, an openwork conveyor for transportin articles of glassware through said tunnel, an means for causing a current of air to flow into the exit end of the tunnel in a direction opposite to the movement of the ware and thence downwardly between the ware and through the conveyor and the perforations in said floor to accelerate the cooling of the ware. I

15. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a perforated floor, an openwork conveyor spaced from said floor. for transporting articles of glassware through said tunnel, means for causing a current of air to flow between the ware and downwardly through the conveyor and the perforations in said floor, and a plurality of bafile elements arranged between the floor and said conveyor to prevent a current of air flowin horizontally beneath said conveyor.

16. i pparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a perforated floor, a plurality of rollers arranged above said floor, an openwork conveyor supported by said rollers for transporting articles of glassware through said tunnel, and means for causing a current of air to flow into the Ill] exit end of said tunnel in a direction oppofloor, the perforations in said floor pregree sively increasing in size toward the exit end of the tunnel, an openwork conveyor for transporting articles of glassware through said tunnel, and means for causing a current of air to flow between the ware and downwardly through said conveyor and perforations in said floor to accelerate the cooling of the ware.

18. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having-a portion of the floor thereof located adjacent to the exit end of the tunnel provided with a series of spaced openings, openwork conveying means for transporting articles of glassware through the tunnel, and means for causing a current of air from the outer atmosphere to flow into the exit end of said tunnel and downwardly between the ware and through the openings in said floor to accelerate the cooling of the ware.

19. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a perforate floor, openwork conveying means for transporting articles of glassware therethrough, and means for causing air in the tunnel to flow downwardly between the ware and through the perforations in said floor.

20. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having openings provided in the floor thereof, and means for causing a vertical flow of cooling airbetween the ware and through the openings in said floor.

21. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a heated floor extending a portion of its length, a conveyor for transporting articles of glassware through said tunnel supported in direct contact with said floor, and a series of rollers for supporting the conveyor throughout the remainder of the length of said tunnel.

22. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a plurality of chambers arranged beneath the floor thereof, said floor having openings therein for establishing communication between said chambers and the interior of the tunnel, an openwork conveyor extending over said chambers, and means for establishing differential pressures in said chambers to cause a temperature-controlling medium to flow vertically between the chamber and the tunnel through the openings in the conveyor and the floor.

23. Apparatus for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel having a floor having a plurality of chambers therebeneath, said chambers having openings therein communicating with the interior of the tunnel, an openwork conveyor extending above sald chambers, means for establishing a diflerential air pressure in said chambers to cause cooling air to flow vertically between the ware and through the conveyor, and means for independently regulating the air pressures in. said chambers to vary the amount of cooling e11? passing between the were 10hsaid tunnel, the ware-bearing strand of said conveyor being slidably mounted on said stationary supports and carried by said rollers.

25. A leer, comprising a tunnel, an endless conveyor belt for supporting articles or" glassware, and supporting means for said belt comprising spaced supporting surfaces each having at least one end free to move with respect to said tunnel to permit of differential expansion when heated. 26. A leer, comprising a tunnel, a reticulated conveyor belt therein for supporting glassware, means for supporting said belt above the bottom of said tunnel, transversely extending Walls for dividing the space between said belt and the'bottom of said tunnel into a plurality of compartments, and an individual electric heating element in each of said compartments.

27. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel having a metallic conveyor support having a plurality of smooth spaced surfaces, an endless openwork laterally and longitudinally flexible metallic conveyor of low heat capacity slidably mounted on said surfaces and sufiiciently supported thereby to prevent undesirable sagging when loaded, and a plurality of electric heating elements disposed beneath the plane of said conveyor and beneath the plane of said supporting surfaces to heat said conveyor and glassware thereon by heat transmitted through direct contact of the conveyor with the surfaces and by radiation and convection between said surfaces and through the conveyor.

28. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel, electric heating elements located wholly within the said tunnel for producing heat therein, and means for diffusing the heat produced by said elements in vertical directions and uniformly throughout transverse planes through said tunnel.

29. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, means for heating the forward portion of the said tunnel, means for diffusing the heat in the tunnel uniformly throughout vertical transverse planes, and means providing forced circulation of a temperature controlling medium through the rear portion of the said tunnel.

30. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, means for heating the forward portion of the said tunnel, means for diflusing the heat in the tunnel uniformly throughout vertical transverse planes, an openwork conveyor for carrying the glassware through said tunnel, and means for circulating a temperature controlling medium through the rear portion of the said tunnel, and through said conveyor.

31. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, means for heating the forward portion of the said tunnel, means for difl'usin the heat in the tunnel uniformly throng out vertical transverse planes, means for circulating a temperature controlling medium through the rear portion of said tunnel, an openwork conveyor for carrying glassware through the said tunnel, and's'tationary members located in the forward portion of said tunnel for slidabl supporting said conveyor therein.

32. pparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, means for heating the forward portion of the said tunnel, means for difi'using the heat in the tunnel uniformly throughout vertical transverse planes, means for maintaining a selected temperature gradient in and longitudinally of said tunnel, an openwork conveyor for carrying glassware through said tunnel, the rear portion of said tunnel having openings formed in the floor thereof, a plurality of chambers communicating with the said openings, and means for establishing difi'erential pressures in said chambers to cause a temperature controlling medium-to flow at different velocities between the said chambers and the interior of the tunnel.

33. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising an elongate tunnel, an openwor conveyor for conducting glassware through said tunnel, means including electric heating elements located below and closely adjacent tosaid conveyor for heating the said tunnel, and means interposed between said conveyor and last-named means for diffusing the heat from said elements upwardly thi'ough said conveyor and through said tunne a 34. Apparatus for annealing glassware,

comprisin an elongate tunnel, an openwork conveyor or conductin glassware through said tunnel, electric heating elements located below and adjacent to theware-bearing strand of said conveyor for heating said tunnel, means interposed between said heating elements and the said conveyor for difl'using the heat from said elements vu wardly throu h the latter and through t e said tunne and heat reflecting means located in the top of said tunnel.

35. Apparatus for annealing glassware,

comprising an elongate tunnel, an openwork conveyor for conducting articles of glassware, therethrough, a plurality of trans versely extending electric heating elements disposed at spaced intervals along the forward portion of said tunnel, sai' elements being located adjacent the floor of said tunnel and beneath the said conve or and a transversely corrutgated heat re ectlng lining for the roof 0' said tunnel for insuring a gradually diminishing temperature gradlcut along the said forward portion of the tunnel.

.36. In apparatus for annealing glassware, a tunnel having a floor comprising a plurality of spaced housings, an electric heatlng element enclosed within each of said housings, and an endless conveyor of low heat mass having its working strand mounted for movement in said tunnel above said housings and its idle strand returning to the entrance end of said tunnel beneath said housings. v

37. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel having a metallic floor, a plurality of electric heating elements disposed beneath said floor, and an endless laterally and longitudinally flexible oplenwork conveyor, the working strand of w 'ch is mounted for'movement through said tunnel above said floor, whereby articles supported on said working strand are in heat transferring relation with said floor, and the idle strand of which returns to the entrance end of said tunnel beneath said floor.

38. Apparatus for annealing glassware, compris ng a tunnel including a floor havin an opening therein spaced from the exit en of said tunnel, openwork conveyin means for transporting articlesof g assware through said tunnel, and means'for causin a current of air to flow into the exit end 0 said tunnel in a direction opposite to the movement of the ware and thence downwardly between the ware and through said conveying means andthrough said opening in the floor to accelerate the cooling of the ware.

' 39. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel having a rforate floor, the perforations in said floor eing arranged in groups of progressively increasing 0 cctive cross sectional area toward the exit end of the tunnel, openwork conveyin means for transporting articles of g assware through said tunnel, and means for causing a current of air to flow between the ware and downwardly through said conve means and the perforations in said floor to accelerate the cooling of the ware. I

' Signed at Hartford, Conn., this 29th day of December, 1925.

VERGIL MULHOLLAND. 

